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Established in 1984 with the aim of safeguarding the alpine flora of Mont Blanc, this alpine garden was eventually opened to the public in 1987; it is in Courmayeur, at 7.135 ft above sea level, on the slopes of Mont Blanc. It was named after the Saussurea alpina, a rare plant from stony pastures, and dedicated to Horace Bènèdict de Saussure, the promoter of the first ascent to Mont Blanc in 1786.

The 1.7-acre garden is surrounded by a spectacular view of the mountains including the Mount Blanc, Les Dames Anglaises, Tour de Jetoula, Dent du Géant, and Grandes Jorasse; looking towards the valley, visitors can enjoy breath-taking views of Gran Paradiso massif, the Ruitor glacier, and the Grivola. The snow is quite abundant and covers the whole area for about 8-9 months a year, disappearing only after the end of June.

THE FLORA

Inside the garden, there are many Aosta Valley species, including edelweiss (Lentopodium alpinum), martagon lily (Lilium maratagon) and Cyanus triumfetii; the flora of the western Alps is represented by Haller’s anemone (Pulsatilla halleri), while the exotic flora includes specimens from North America, the Iberian Peninsula, Eurasia, and even the Southern Hemisphere. Two areas are dedicated to the cultivation of medicinal plants.

The natural environments are represented by the alpine pasture with the Graminaceae and the Ciperaceae families from the humid environments, and the vegetal associations of the subalpine plain featuring green alders, rhododendron and blueberry groves.

Seed exchanges between this alpine garden and many international researchers and botanists are extremely flourishing.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)